PPDR is experienced, creative, collaborative and thorough.

Since June of 1984, People, Places & Design Research has specialized in audience research for cultural non-profit organizations through customized research and consulting. Our services focus on four broad categories — audience analysis, visitor research for exhibit development, problem-solving on visitor experience issues, and community studies and market research — for places that emphasize art, history, science and nature. In addition, we have developed skills and tools to address these unique situations: African American museums and audiences; relocated, reinvented and new museums; storyline testing; environmental issues; and exhibit design and media innovations.

Essentially, we use Environmental Psychology in the study of visitor experience and behavior to help museums plan and make decisions about every aspect of serving the public, including exhibitions, programming, visitor services, audience development, marketing, and membership.

In 35 years, we have conducted about 700 visitor studies for 200 cultural-interpretive organizations. We are proud to offer our clients a high-level of collaboration while working with their administrators, strategic planners, designers, educators, public relations and marketing specialists, development and fundraising specialists, and interpretive staff. Read their words of praise here.

To learn more about the variety and range of creative projects we’ve had the pleasure of working on, see our list of current and recent projects and browse through our list of clients by category.